Chaplaincy

The team includes representatives from various traditions and has a number of contacts with other faith traditions who are able to visit patients. The Chaplaincy team equally supports people of any faith or belief group, and also those without faith.

Contact us

24 hour on-call service

On-call Chaplains are available 24 hours a day throughout the year. To call out a Chaplain at any time, phone 0300 304 7777, say 'Operator', and when answered ask them to page the On-call Chaplain.

Working hours / non-urgent

Tel: 01865 857921
Monday to Friday 8.00am - 4.00pm

Non-urgent email: chaplains@ouh.nhs.uk

About us

The Chaplaincy team includes representative ministers from various traditions. We work with faith advisors and trained volunteers from a wide range of faith backgrounds and traditions, to provide respectful and comprehensive spiritual care to all our patients, families and staff.

We can offer advice on cultural and religious issues and concerns related to all aspects of hospital care. We can also contact local or nominated ministers, priests or faith leaders for you or your family members.

Need to talk?

Coming into hospital for any reason, or visiting somebody who is in pain or distress, can be an unsettling experience. Questions, fears and anxieties can affect your wellbeing and ability to adjust to the demands of illness and treatment.

We have time to listen

Chaplains are integral members of the healthcare team, employed to care for the pastoral and spiritual needs of the whole hospital community - regardless of their beliefs.

We offer confidential, professional support and pastoral counselling in a friendly and unhurried manner.

Although we regularly visit the wards, we may miss you, or you may be busy when we call in. Please ask your nurse if you would like us to call again.

Our team

As a team we are happy to provide pastoral and spiritual care for all members of the Trust community whatever their background.

However, if you require support specifically from a member of a faith tradition not represented by our team, please contact us, as we are able to advise on most spiritual / religious issues and have extensive local contacts from a variety of faith backgrounds.

Chaplains

Sarah Sewell, Lead Chaplain

Cara Heafey

Andrew Williams

Jo Snelling

Ruth Fitter

Rachel Cross

Jon Williams

Catholic Chaplains

Emmanuel Ogunnaike

Tony Bassey

Ordained Priests of the Church of England

• The Rev'd Sarah Sewell
• The Rev'd Rachel Cross
• The Rev'd Ruth Fitter
• The Rev'd Geoff Morgan
• The Rev'd Jo Snelling
• The Rev'd Jon Williams

Ordained Minister of the United Reformed Church

The Rev'd Cara Heafe

Ordained priests of the Roman Catholic Church.

• Fr Emmanuel Ogunnaike
• Fr Tony Bassey

Member of the Eastern Orthodox Christian Church

Mr Andrew Williams

Locations

While the whole Chaplaincy team works across all sites of the Trust, the chaplains are often based in the following locations:

Churchill Hospital

The Rev'd Cara Heafey

Horton General Hospital

The Rev'd Ruth Fitter

John Radcliffe Hospital

• The Rev'd Sarah Sewell (Lead Chaplain)
  
• The Rev'd Ruth Fitter
  
• Fr Emmanuel Ogunnaike
  
• The Rev'd Jo Snelling
  
• Mr Andrew Williams

Katharine House Hospice

The Rev'd Jo Snelling

Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre (NOC)

The Rev'd Geoff Morgan

Sobell House Hospice

• The Rev'd Rachel Cross
  
• The Rev'd Jon Williams

Quiet spaces

Spaces for prayer and worship are available on all sites. All prayer spaces are kept open 24 hours a day.

Resources are available for people from all faith backgrounds and traditions, including prayer mats and a selection of spiritual reading.

John Radcliffe Hospital

• Chapel / prayer room, main corridor, Level 2
• Smaller prayer space, LG2, West Wing

Churchill Hospital

• Quiet space opposite WH Smith, main entrance, Surgery and Diagnostics
• Chapel / prayer room close to OCDEM, access via old main entrance, Car Park 4
  

Sobell House Hospice

• Chapel / prayer room on the main inpatient ward corridor
  

Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre

The Sanctuary: a prayer space on the first floor

Horton General Hospital

Chapel / prayer room on the main corridor

Katharine House Hospice

Chapel / prayer room on the main corridor

Religious services

Chaplains are available to pray with, or for, patients and families.

The Christian sacraments of communion / mass or anointing the sick at the bedside are available on request

Religious ministry from all faith traditions can be arranged on request.

Public services of various traditions may be held from time to time in the hospital chapels or prayer rooms.

Islamic Friday Prayers currently take place on Fridays at 1.00pm in the Prayer Room at the John Radcliffe Hospital on Level 2 near the main hospital entrance and at the Churchill Hospital in the old chapel.

Roman Catholic Mass is held weekly on Wednesdays at 1.00pm in the JR Chapel on Level 2.

A Christian Service of Prayer and Worship is held fortnightly on Fridays in the Chapel at the Horton General Hospital at 11.30am - from Friday 19 April 2024.

A Time of Stillness and Reflection with poetry and music, suitable for all faiths and none, will be held weekly in the John Radcliffe Hospital Chapel, beginning on Monday 13 May 2024.

Please contact the Chaplains for more information.

Staff support

Chaplains are available for confidential staff support, informal listening, pastoral debriefing and education.

Visiting ministers and faith leaders

Please see our guidance for visiting ministers and faith leaders at the link below.

Guidance for visiting ministers and faith leaders (pdf, 180 KB)